Union undergarment.



E; J. SGHREMP. UNION UNDERGARMEN T.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1912. 1 43,035.- Patented Oct. 29, 1912. A

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UNION UNDERGARMENT. APPLICATION FILED m 28, 1am.

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Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

E. J. SGHREMP.

UNION UNDERGARMENT. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 23,1912.

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f To alt whom it may concernt v Be-it known that I, EDWARD J. Sermons;

I New Yorkcity, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' EDWARD J. sennnmr, or new YORLK, N. Y.

Union UNDERGAIRMENV'VI.

a citizen of the United States, residing at and. useful Improvements in Union Undergarments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to union under-garmerits, made from tubular knit fabric and consists in a new method of cutting the two I halves of the garment from the tubular blank wherebyall-waste is avoided. These garments, sometimes called combination suits, are made in one piece to cover the entire body fromthe ankles to the neck, and consist of the legs, the arms, and the body port-ion extending from the crotch'up over the shoulders and provided witha front vertical opening provided with buttons and button holes for closing when the garment is on. Shoulder pieces are desirable 0n the shoulders and the neck is commonly provided with a collarette for firmness and finish. There is also an opening from-the crotch extending part way up'the back and one or twoflaps must be provided 'to close this rear opening and cover the posterior portion of the body. This rear opening may or may not be continuous with the front opening. This flap (or flaps) is secured to the main back portion of the garment so that. the flap hangs therefrom and thus is supported from the shoulders, of course 1ndirectly through the back portion. Such isa general description of the union suit which has been popular for years, particularly with women, and it will be seen that they are very different in structure and manner of use from the usual under-garments, that is from shirts and drawers, and have always presented different and peculiar problems to the manufacturer for the reasons,first,

that they are of greater length, second, that" they are not'provided with a wide open lower orlu pper end through which the garment can be entered and therefore they must be'provided with a special opening,

which however must bearranged so that the garment can be put on with reasonable con-' venience, third, because the drawers arefnot separable and cannot he slipped down over the legs, so there must be a ni g a this opening .must have a closing flap'brflaps, fourth, a reason particularly in unlon garments for women and for stout men-the Specification of Letters latent. Application filed May 28, 1912. Serial No. 7005196 the top of a garment splitupflthe sides-and Patented oer. 29,1912.

tube from which these garments is made isof course of unlformdiameter, fromv end to end;

but. for such figures the hip portion must;

befla'rger and the shoulder portion smaller, which greatly complicates the problem; It is well understood .that stout men cannot get union suits to fit properly.

Heretofore union garments have been made from tubular fabric of sufficient diameter to receive the; body,oftenbyknitting the bust. and hips tuckand the waist, plain rib, or by throwing in a lighter thread at the waist, 01' by cutting outgoresat the waist, and the legs were formed by cutting away atriangular piece or pieces at the lower end of the blank, leaving the outer, or inner, portions of the lower endto form the legs, the inner edges of course being stitched up with seams, along the inside-of the legs. But

this involved agreat waste in the fabric,

portant in womens garments, I produce a garment-sufiiciently large for the hips and sufiicient-ly small for the chest. I practically avoid all the above stated disadvantages and" in so doingI cut the garment froin the smallest possible tube, thus employing a smaller size of machine as, hereafter -explained;

My invention is fully explained in the following description and shown in the draw ing in which the reference letters of the description indicate the corresponding parts in all figures. Figure l-shows a tubular strip of fabric j with lines thereon. indicating the cuts to produce the garment shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 2 shows in plan thehalv'es spread flat. 3 and 4 are respectively front and rear elevations of the completed garment. Fig. 5 shows the rectangular shoulder iece cut from Fig. 1. Fig. 6is an enlarge plan of spread .so as to show theconstruction and arrangement of the shoulder piecesand the plan View of a tube in the method of single flap garments. Figs. 8 and 9 show in plan the two halves for producing such a garment. Fig. 10 is the rear'elevation of a single flap garment and Fig. 11 is such a garment split up the sides with the front and. rear spread out flat and presents practicallya plan of the garment as it would be seen from below. Fig. 12 is the plan of a large tubular blank to indicate how. eight complete half garments may be out therefrom atonee to advantage. Fig. 13 is a similar view with the parts completed and the halves folded out collarettes. Fig. 7 is a showing a modification cutting one half for tirely above the legs,

flat.

In Fig. 1 is shown a tubular blank which is cut up without waste into the two similar halves afterward sewed together to form the complete garment. First the two halves are separated by theshort transverse cuts 1, equidistant from the transverse axis 2 of the blank, and by the irregular or wavy cut 3 connecting the inner ends of these cuts. These short cuts are at the lower ends of the legs, to which cuffs may be added for finish if desired, and this so called wavy out has the important function of shaping the opposite leg portions 4% for the ankles, calves and the thighs. As will be seen the smaller ankle portion 5 of one leg portion is adjacent to the larger thigh portion 6 of the other, and between is formed the intermediate calf and knee portion 7, substantially tapering (reversely on the two parts as they appear in Fig. 1 from the thigh portion down to the an le portion. The blank has now been severed into two halves and the leg portions prepared for stitching, but, to make the shoulder and chest portion of proper size and proper proportions to the legs and hips, I cut away at the end of each half the rectangular piece 8, which, incidentally, is not wasted but is used for shoulder pieces and collarettes, and has the advantage of being identical in shade with the rest. of the garment. I then slit the two halves through .one fold along the dotted lines 9, and the two halves spread out. flat are shown in Fig. 2. The order in which the aforesaid cuts are made is not important.

To understand how the two halves are secured together, they are supposed to he tolded along their vertical axes 11. The two edges 12 12 of each leg portion are sewed together to form the legs, the upper edges 13 13 of the two halves are sewed together to unite the halves by a seam from the center ofthe back to the neck, corresponding buttons and button holes are formed along the vertical front edges 14, 14, the flaps 15 15 are sewed to the body of the garment at the back along the line 17 and their lower edges 18 are each sewed to the crotch seam 19 so as-to extend half on each side of the center 20. The middle point of the lower edge of each flap is at said center 20 at the bottom of the front opening so it will he understood that these lower ends combined are, so to speak, drawnforward. through the crotch and sewed to the bottom of the body fronts to form a closed crotch portion enthus acting a suspensory. It will be seen that there is-no opening extending down into either leg but that the leg portions are closed to their upper ends 2222. These crotch seams 19 are of course continuous with the leg seams 94 24.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6, there is shown how the small pieces 8 may be used for shoulder pieces and collarettes and why they come from the blank in the most desirable form for such use, that is with the ribs extending longitudinally, and when in the garment as the shoulder pieces 8 8, this gives the desirable longitudinal rigidity to prevent stretching and the pulling down of the shoulders out of place over the arms, and also gives the very desirable lateral elasticity.

When used as a collarette 26, the ribs extend longitudinally, which affords exactly the necessary stiffness to prevent the neck stretching and sagging. These small pieces as shown in Fig. 1 are too short. for a collarette but when a wide tube is cut to form four garments as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the intermediate pieces are long enough. So when a double length tube similar to Fig. 1 is used the collarette can be cut from the section 8 which will be double the present length, as shown by dotted lines at the lower end of Fig. 1.

Said garment, as aforesaid, is cut entirely without waste, is well fitting, no button on seat, and in some respects is the most satis factory and best fitting union suit yet produced from tubular fabric and is a desirable winter garmcnt but for summer the double flap is too hot. Therefore I have modified the halves of the garment so that a single flap garment may be made, see particularly Figs. 8 and 9. from one half by severing along the line 50 and from the other half T cut a triangular .piece 31, which is sewed to the other half in the position shown in Figs. 10 and 11 to form the gusset 31 necessary to afford the suflicient fullness in the bottom of the garment. The cut away flap need not be wasted for, though it cannot be used in this garment, it may be used elsewhere in the mill.

The complete garment is shown in Figs.

10 and 1.1. In the latter the garment is split and laid out flat so as to be shown as though it were seen from below, whereby is made plain the peculiar and desirable arrangement of the single integral 'flap, to give sullicient elasticity to the back and to produce a new and peculiar closed crotch garment. The construction is similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4 but the single flap garment will probably have a larger use I 5 will describe that construction in greater detail. The loweredge 34: of the flap extendmg from the point a to the point I) is there secured to what I call the crotch seam 19,

this single flap thus is arranged in the gark ment. to form the crotch portion 36 extending through from rear to front, whereby is produced a closed crotch garment without any opening or slit whatsoever down the leg or legs, for the legs terminate at the points a and 0. These points a and 0 are separated on opposite sides as shown in Fig. 11 but it will be understood that when the garment is on the person they will come substantially into contact as appears from Fig. 10. The

0 gusset 31 is necessary to give sufiicient fullness'on the right hand side, Another advantage of this peculiar arrangement is shown by Fig. 11, where the direction of the ribs in the single flap is indicated. From the peculiar formation and arrangement of the flap,.whereby the lower edge is drawn to-,

ward one side and the upper point 33 drawn across the lower part of the back and there secured, it occurs that the ribs orwalls do 40 not extend vertically, in which direction they are practically rigid, but are inclined so as to introduce a desirable bias elasticity into this portion of the garment, where it is par- "ticularly necessary in stretching over the seat, and a bias stretch has morespring'and more durable elasticity than the lateral stretch. Gusset 31 is just large enough but not too large and is arran ed in correct position, to so expose full seat, ut fully to cover same when flap is closed. The arrangement with the Wales extending in the direction shown is important for it will not stretch in the direction shown, therefore will not. sag, but sets firm and in place. It holds the leg firmly in, place and from-its position cannot get caught. With this gusset,'the flap is 'easy to manipulate.

Where I make a single flap garment the -half shown in Fig. 9 'may be made in. other ,ways, for instance as shown in Fig. 7. Here is indicated a'tube larger than that ;of Fig. 1, to becutinto four half garments. The

tube is first out along the-lines 50 to the points 51 and then around the .wavy line 52 and finally the two sets of halves are severed on lines 53. This leaves two large waste.

pieces 54,. front and back, which may be, used as gussets in particular garments, but it will be understood that the half garments so out are exactly the same as (that shown in Fig. 9 and therefore there is no variation in the complete garment. Whether the other halves are out according. to Fig. 7 or Fig. 9 is entirely a.,commercial question to be settled according to the conditions at the particular mill, but whichever of those two halves is used in combination with the half of Fig. 8, the waste will be not more than one half of what it was in the garment cut according to the old method above described, and my garment fits'better in calf,-thigh, seat and chest. i

In Fig. 12 is shown how four complete garments, that is eight complete'half garments may be out from a single blank of tubular fabric according to my method and to produce my peculiar garment. Here a tube 40 of large diameterisused which is first out practically as in Fig. 1, that is the short transverse cuts 4-1 are first made to be connected by the wavy out 42,then cut 41 to connect 42, the small rectangular pieces 43am severed and the cloth is slit through one fold along the line 9 to leave the flaps 15, but the difference in' cutting arises att he middle of the blank where a double rectangular piece 4a is cut away half extending into each adjacent blank which piece is therefore of sufiicient length to form collarettes and they may be so used each to produce two collarettes, or shoulder pieces. The blank is then out along the line &5 through. both folds to divide the blanks of the two'halves."

As shown in Fig.- 13 the legs and flaps have been opened out and the parts separated and it will be seen that the half gar ments so produced are identicalwith those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and may be used as n heretofore described to produce either a single or a double flap garment. There isone incidental advantage at-' tendant on my invention which however is of great importance commercially, namely that by mymethod garments are produced from the smaller and the larger tubes, for instance made on 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 inch and 22, 23, 24:, 25, 26 and 28 inch machines.

The advantage 'is that these are the machines which are less in use .in the mill. They are of course necessary to the manu-v facturer to produce special sizes but it is the intermediate machines 14: to 21 inch which are in most constant use and anym5 thingthat will promote theuse of either the very large, or the very small machines, is important and profitable to the mill owner. For instance the tube indicated in Fig. 1 is madeon a 13 inch. latch needle machine 1 said cuts &

which is used only to produce N0. 80 or 32 drawers which are necessary to fill out a line, but for which there is a limited demand. On the other hand the tube shown in Fig. 12 is for a 22 inch latch needle knitting frame which of course is used for only the large size 46 and which- I use for a size 400F414.

Having described my invention, I claim, 1. The herein describedmet-hod of cutting the halves for union suits which consists in dividing a tube of fabric into two halves by an elongated out, consisting of two short cuts extending into the tube from opposite sides less than half the width of the tube and being at the ends of the leg portions,

being spaced from each other substantially the length of the legs and from the end of the tube substantially the dis tance from the crotch to the shoulder, and

of an inclined irregular cut connecting the ends of the short cuts and being slightly curved at each of its ends short cut to form on one side the ankle porlshed portions of adjoinmg legs,

regular cut to form the ankle,

away the end of the flap for tion of one 'hal'f and on the other side the thigh portion of the other half, and between said curves being substantially straight and inclined for'the calf and knee portions of the respective halves and then slitting the tube from the irregular cut to the endv through one thickness.

2. The herein described method of cutting the halves for union suits which consists in dividing a tube of fabric into a plurality of half garment sections by elongated cuts, consisting of transverse cuts spaced from each'other substantially the length-of the legs and from the end of the tube substantially the distance from the crotch to the shoulder, and connected. by inclined cuts sin'iultaneously to form enlarged and diminlongitudinal cuts through both folds for the shoulder portion and cutting at least through one thickness from the shoulder cuts to the transverse cuts for the posterior opening.

3. The herein described method of making a single integral flap, closed crotch, union suit which consists imcutting from a tube of fabric half suits, by two" straight short cuts being the ends of t'elegs and spaced the length of the leg apart, uniting the inner ends of said short cuts by an elongated ircalf and thigh portions of the legs of the two halves, slitting from the end of the irregular cut through one thickness to form a flap, cutting the shoulder,

adjacent to the flap to the crotch seams with an intermediate point on said edge secured to the body at the lower end of the front opening, providing small triangular gusset and securing it between the upper leg portion and the body portion of the side opposite the flap with the gusset ribs extending substantially across and at an angle to the rlbs of the body portion and of the leg port-ion.

4. The herein described method of cutting union suits from tubular knit fabric without waste which consists in severing the tube by an elongated cut consisting of short straight outs substantially at a right angle to the tube axis, and of an irregular cut joining the inner ends of said cuts and forming the ankle, calf and thigh portion of the two halves, slitting through one fold from the elongated out to form the flap, cutting a small piece from the upper end of the fiaps to reduce the shoulder portion, uniting the two halves and inserting the small pieces between the upper ends to form shoulder pieces.

5. The herein described method of forming union suits from tubular knit fabric without waste, which consists in severing the tube by an elongated cut consisting of transverse cuts and an irregular cut joining the inner ends of said cuts and forming the ankle, calf and thigh portion of the two halves, slitting through one fold from the elongated cut to form a rear flap, cutting a piece from the upper ends of the flaps to reduce the shoulder portion, uniting the two halves, inserting parts of said piece between the upper garment ends with the wales arranged transversely and securing a strip of said piece around the neck with the wale arranged longitudinally of said strip.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J. SCHREMP. VVitne'sses J R. MILLwARn, ALLAN W. Foosn. 

